Retainer gasket construction

ABSTRACT

Sealing gasket construction for providing a fluid seal intermediate a pair of opposed, mating parts or structures. The gasket includes a metal retainer and a resilient seal element received in a groove portion formed between sections of the retainer.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED CASES

The present application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/507,865; filed Oct. 1, 2003, thedisclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates broadly to a sealing construction forproviding a fluid seal intermediate a pair of opposed, mating parts orstructures, and more particularly to such a construction including aseal member which is received within a gap formed between a first and asecond section of a retainer.

In basic construction, gaskets of the type herein involved are formed ofone or more resilient sealing elements which are supported by sheetmetal plate or other retainer which may be machined, stamped, molded orotherwise formed to conform to the geometry of the mating surfaces to besealed. Particularly, the seal members may be molded-in-place orotherwise mounted in grooves formed into one or both sides of theretainer. Representative such gaskets are shown, for example, in U.S.Pat. Nos. 3,195,906; 3,215,442; 3,259,404; 3,578,346; 3,635,480;3,720,420; 3,746,348; 4,026,565, 4,625,978, 5,890,719; 6,460,859; and6,553,664, in U.S. Pat. Appln. Pub. No. 2003/0025328A1; 2002/0140182A1;2002/0135137A1; and US2002/0030326A1, and in co-pending U.S. ProvisionalPat. Appln. No. 60/497,777, filed Aug. 26, 2003, and are marketedcommercially by the Composite Sealing Systems Division ofParker-Hannifin Corporation, San Diego, Calif., under the tradenames“Gask-O-Seal” and “Integral Seal.”

Retainer gaskets of the type herein involved are employed in a varietyof sealing applications, such as in commercial, industrial, or militaryequipment, vehicles, or aircraft for compression between the opposing orfaying surfaces of a pair of mating parts or structures to provide afluid-tight interface sealing thereof. In service, the gasket is clampedbetween the mating surfaces to effect the compression and deformation ofthe seal member and to develop a fluid-tight interface with each ofthose surfaces. The compressive force may be developed using acircumferentially spaced-apart arrangement of bolts or other fasteningmembers, or by a threaded engagement of the mating parts.

Heretofore, the retainer grooves typically have been formed bymachining. As a relatively labor-intensive and slow process, machiningthus constitutes a significant expense in the overall cost of thegasket. It is believed, therefore, that lower cost alternatives would bewell-received by industry, and particularly for automotive and otherhigh volume applications.

BROAD STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a retainer gasket constructionparticularly adapted for high volume applications and/or those havingcomplex sealing geometries. The gasket includes a retainer which may beformed of plastic or, more typically, metal, and one or more integralsealing elements which are received within gaps formed between sectionsof the retainer. The sections are connected by one or more relativelyshort bridge portions which span the gap, and which form a groove withthe sections. The sealing elements, which may be molded-in-place withinthe gaps, extend though the grooves formed by the bridge portions. Suchconstruction advantageously may be fabricated, such as by stamping,machining, or otherwise forming the retainer, more easily thanconventional constructions utilizing standard grooves machined into theretainer surfaces.

The present invention, accordingly, comprises the article possessing theconstruction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts andsteps which are exemplified in the detailed disclosure to follow.Advantages of the present invention include a gasket construction whichmay be adapted for use with various sealing configurations, andparticularly complex arrangements. Further advantages include a gasketconstruction which is economical to manufacture in high volumes. Theseand other advantages will be readily apparent to those skilled in theart based upon the disclosure contained herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a representative embodiment of a retainerconstruction according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view of the retainerof FIG. 1 taken through line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view of the retainerof FIG. 1 taken through line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a detail of retainer of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a representative embodiment of a gasketconstruction according to the present invention which incorporates theretainer of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view of the gasket ofFIG. 5 taken through line 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the gasket ofFIG. 5 taken through line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

The drawings will be described further in connection with the followingDetailed

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Certain terminology may be employed in the following description forconvenience rather than for any limiting purpose. For example, the terms“forward” and “rearward,” “front” and “rear,” “right” and “left,”“upper” and “lower,” “top” and “bottom,” and “right” and “left”designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made, withthe terms “inward,” “inner,” “interior,” “inside,” or “inboard” and“outward,” “outer,” “exterior,” “outside,” or “outboard” referring,respectively, to directions toward and away from the center of thereferenced element, the terms “radial” or “vertical” and “axial” or“horizontal” referring, respectively, to directions, axes, or planesperpendicular and parallel to the longitudinal central axis of thereferenced element. Terminology of similar import other than the wordsspecifically mentioned above likewise is to be considered as being usedfor purposes of convenience rather than in any limiting sense.

In the figures, elements having an alphanumeric designation may bereferenced herein collectively or in the alternative, as will beapparent from context, by the numeric portion of the designation only.Further, the constituent parts of various elements in the figures may bedesignated with separate reference numerals which shall be understood torefer to that constituent part of the element and not the element as awhole. General references, along with references to spaces, surfaces,dimensions, and extents, may be designated with arrows or underscores.

For the illustrative purposes of the discourse to follow, the preceptsof the retainer gasket construction of the present invention aredescribed in connection with the configuration thereof for use as anvalve cover, intake manifold, head gasket, or other multi-port sealwithin an engine for a motor vehicle. In view of the discourse tofollow, however, it will be appreciated that aspects of the presentinvention may find utility in other fluid sealing applications requiringa flexible gasket of the type herein involved. Use within those suchother applications therefore should be considered to be expressly withinthe scope of the present invention.

Referring then to the figures wherein corresponding reference charactersare used to designate corresponding elements throughout the severalviews with equivalent elements being referenced with prime or sequentialalphanumeric designations, shown generally at 12 in the plan view ofFIG. 1, with the reverse side in the illustrated embodiment beingunderstood to be substantially the same as the side shown, is arepresentative embodiment according to the present invention of agenerally planar, retainer for use in combination with one or moreelastomeric seal elements which may be mounted on one or, typically,both sides (see FIG. 2) of the retainer 12 in a retainer gasketconstruction. Retainer 12 may be configured as shown for interpositionbetween a pair of interfacing surfaces, such as a cylinder head andengine block within an internal combustion engine, as having an outermargin, 14, corresponding to the outer margins of those surfaces. Suchouter margin 14 may extend in the radial directions defined by theorthogonal horizontal axes referenced at 16 a-b, and, as shown forillustrative purposes, may have a generally irregular shape, but whichshape alternatively may be circular, elliptical, polygonal, or otherwiserectilinear depending upon the intended application. The outer margin 14defines the radial extents of opposing upper, 18 a, and lower, 18 b (seeFIG. 2), radial surfaces. Radial surfaces 18 each may be generallyplanar or, alternatively, may have one or more degrees of curvature tomatch the curvature of the corresponding interfacing surfaces to besealed.

Retainer gaskets of type herein involved are conventionally provided ashaving one or more openings formed through the radial surfaces thereof,such as for a registration with cylinder or valve bores, bolt holes,coolant or lubrication ports, and other throughbores, passageways, andchambers. In this regard, retainer 12 includes one or more openings, oneof which is referenced at 20, formed through the surfaces 18. Each ofsuch openings 20 may be configured for registration with a correspondingbore, passageway, or chamber of the engine. In this regard, it will beappreciated that the arrangement of the openings 20 shown in FIG. 1 tobe formed through the retainer member 12 may correspond in number andarrangement to those formed within the interfacing surfaces of theengine components between which the gasket incorporating the retainer 12is to be interposed.

Retainer 12 further has a thickness dimension, referenced at t in thecross-sectional view of FIG. 2, defined intermediate the radial surfaces18, and through which the which openings 20 extend. Such thicknessdimension t itself extends in an axial direction along a vertical axis,referenced at 22 in FIG. 2, which axis and direction are generallynormal to the radial direction referenced by the axes 16. Depending uponits material of construction and the intended application, the thicknessdimension t may be between about {fraction (1/16)}-1 inch (0.15-2.5 cm),making the retainer 12 generally rigid. Suitable metal materials for theconstruction of retainer 12 include plastics and, particularly, metalssuch as aluminum, steel, stainless steel, copper, brass, titanium,nickel, and alloys thereof, with aluminum being preferred for manyapplications. The metal may be anodized, plated, or otherwise treatedfor increased corrosion resistance.

As is shown in FIG. 1 and in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2,retainer 12 may be seen to be divided into at least a first section, 22,and a second section, 23, which are separated by a gap, 24. As shownbest in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, each of the sections 22 and23 has opposing radial surfaces, 26 a-b and 27 a-b, respectively, whichform a portion of the corresponding retainer radial surface 18 a-b. Suchsurfaces 26 and 27, which may be generally coplanar as shown or,alternatively, non-coplanar, each extends to a corresponding axialsurface, 28 and 29, defined, respectively, between the surfaces 26 a-band 27 a-b. Axial surfaces 28 and 29, which may be generally orthogonalto the radial surface 26 and 27, may be generally parallel to each otheras shown. Alternatively, the surfaces may be angled relative to thecorresponding radial surface 26 or 27, and may be non-parallel to eachother.

In the arrangement shown in FIG. 1, the surfaces 26 and 27 also extend,respectively, to define an outer perimeter, 30, corresponding to theouter margin 14, and inner perimeter, 32, which, in turn, define theretainer 12 as having a generally closed geometry which may have agenerally irregular shape, but which shape alternatively may becircular, elliptical, polygonal, or otherwise polygonal depending uponthe intended application. Such shape also instead may be open ratherthan closed, and in that regard may be linear, rectilinear, orcurvilinear.

With continuing reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, axial surface 29 is disposedopposite surface 28 along at least a portion of the length thereof todefine a lengthwise extent, referenced at “L” in FIG. 1, of the gap 24,and is spaced-apart therefrom to define a widthwise extent, referencedat “w,” of the gap 24. Gap 24, as disposed intermediate the retainerinner and outer perimeter 30 and 32, may generally track the shape ofone or both thereof in extending lengthwise generally about the geometrythereof, and otherwise itself may have a generally closed or,alternatively, open geometry relative to the retainer surfaces 26 and27.

For connecting the sections 22 and 23, one or more bridge portions, oneof which is referenced at 40, are formed within the retainer 12 asdisposed intermediate the lengthwise extent L of the gap 24. Each of thebridge portions 40, which may be relatively narrow or short, may spanthe widthwise extent w of the gap 24 in having, as seen best in thecross-sectional view of FIG. 3, opposing radial surfaces, 42 a-b,disposed axially intermediate the retainer section radial surfaces 22and 23. In this regard, each of the bridge portions 40 may define withthe retainer section axial surfaces 28 and 29 an axially-registered,generally U-shaped, first and a second groove portion, 44 a-b,respectively, within the gap 24. That is, with the bridge surfaces 42a-b forming the bottom walls of the groove portions 44, and with theaxial surfaces 28 and 29 forming the side walls thereof, groove portions44 a-b are thereby so defined within the gap 24. As is commonlyreferenced at “d” in FIG. 3, each grooves may have, relative to thecorresponding radial surface 26 and 27, an axial depth which, for manyapplications, may be between about ⅛-⅓ of the axial thickness,referenced at “t,” of the retainer 12.

Looking momentarily to FIG. 4, wherein the bridge portion 40 is shown inenhanced detail, it may be seen that the edges, referenced at 50 a-bthereof may be generally concave or otherwise actuate, but as maydepended specifically on the fabrication method by which the bridgeportion 40, and/or the retainer 12 itself, may be formed. That is, forexample, with retainer 12 being machined, stamped, molded, or otherwiseformed of a sheet or other blank of a metal material, the bridgeportions 40 may be first formed, as depicted in phantom at 40′, as shortsections of material within the gap 24 which itself may be machined orotherwise formed into the blank so as to define the sections 22 and 23.Thereupon, the sections may be cold-worked, such as by coining orpunching in the manner described in co-pending Provisional Pat. Appln.No. Provisional Pat. Appln. No. 60/497,777, filed Aug. 26, 2003, to formthe U-shaped groove portions 44.

In the commercial manufacture of the retainer 12, such retainer may befabricated in a multi-station, progressive die operation or,alternatively, using separate dies in a transfer press operation. Insuch operation, the retainer 12, as may be provided as a piece ofgenerally flat metal plate or sheet stock which may be machined orotherwise pre-formed as required, and which in various die stations ordies, may be stamped, bent, and/or coined, as well as machined orfurther machined, to form the final configuration of the retainer 12.

Additional features and structures, such as pins, holes, openings, andthe like also may be formed within the retainer 12 as the particularapplication may require. For example, a third retainer section, 46, maybe provided as disposed between the first and second sections 22 and 23so as to form a second opening, 47, which may be surrounded, in part, bya second gap, 48, contiguous with the first gap 24, which may be definedbetween the third section 46 and the first and second sections 22 and23. As shown at 49, a portion of the first gap 24 may itself be formedbetween the first section 22 and the third section 46 in so forming aclosed geometry surrounding the opening 20.

Turning now to FIG. 5, retainer 12 reappears as incorporated within ametal and elastomer gasket construction, 50, according to the presentinvention. In this regard, with retainer 12 being configured asdescribed in connection with FIGS. 1-6, one or more seal elements, oneof which are referenced at 52, may be molded, bonded, or otherwiseattached thereto as disposed within the gap 24 as a continuous ordiscontinuous ring, or other length of an elastomeric material tocomplete the construction of the gasket 50. In this regard, seal element52 may be seen to extend along at least a portion, and typicallysubstantially the entirety, of the lengthwise extent L of the gap 24, aswell as within the gap 48. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 5, sealelement 52 thus is provided to extend lengthwise generally about theclosed geometry of the retainer 12 as disposed within the gap 24intermediate the retain inner and outer perimeter 30 and 32.

In the illustrated configuration of FIG. 5, seal element 52, as disposedwithin a corresponding gap 24, has a first side, 54, attached to thefirst axial surface 28, and a second side, 56, attached to the secondaxial surface 29. As may be seen best in the cross-sectional views ofFIGS. 6-7, seal element 52 further has, relative to the retainer radialsurfaces 26 and 27, a radial first sealing surface, 58 a, and a radialsecond sealing surface, 58 b, which is disposed opposite the firstsealing surface 58 a. As is shown, each of the surfaces 58, which may bedisposed in axial registration, may be configured as a generallyhemispherical or other bead or lobe.

In accordance with the precepts of the present invention, seal element52, moreover, as may be seen in FIG. 7, is provided to extend throughthe first and second grooved portion 44 a-b so as to be receivedtherein. That is, the seal element 52 within the groove portion 44 a-bfurther may have a first bottom wall, 59 a, which may be attached orotherwise supported on the groove surface 42 a, and a second bottomwall, 59, which similarly may be supported on the opposing groovesurface 42 b.

Each of sealing surfaces 58 may be contactible by a confronting one ofthe interface surfaces (not shown) between which the gasket 50 may beinterposed for the axial sealing compression of the seal element 52within the intended application. In this regard, depending upon thelocation of such interface surface relative to the gasket 50, each ofthe sealing surfaces 58 may be radially spaced-apart from a pair ofcorresponding sidewalls, 60 a and 62 a, and 60 b and 62 b, so as todefine an annular gap, commonly referenced at 64, therebetween. The beadof the radial sealing surface, may be of any radial size, but typicallywill have a width, referenced at “r” in FIGS. 6-7, which may be betweenabout 25-75% of the total widthwise extent w of the gap 24.

Within the gap 24, each of the sealing surfaces 58 thereby presentoppositely disposed, generally hemispherical bearing surfaces which inthe illustrated embodiment define radial seals on the sides defined bythe surface 26 and 27 of the gasket 50. As may be seen in FIG. 5 forsurface 26, such sealing surfaces extend to form a generally closedgeometry along the generally closed geometry the openings 20 and 47 forcoaxial registration with the margins of the interface surfaces whichmay surround, for example, a fluid flow passageway or chamber. It willbe appreciated, however, that different and/or independent geometries ofseal element 52, as well as different numbers thereof, may be envisioneddepending upon the configuration of the corresponding passageway orchamber, and/or of the interfacing surfaces within the intendedapplication.

For the axial compression of the seal element 52 by the interfacesurfaces effecting a fluid-tight seal therewith, the sealing surfaces 58thereof each may be provided, again as depending upon the geometry ofthe interface surfaces, to extend axially beyond the correspondingradial surface 26 and 27 of retainer 12 for abutting contact with acorresponding one of the interface surfaces. That is, sealing surfaces52 may be provided, as is shown in FIGS. 6-7, to protrude, as isreferenced at “s” in FIGS. 6-7, between about 1-100 mils (0.025-2.5 mm)beyond the corresponding radial surface 26 or 27, with the gap portions64 being provided to accommodate the deformation of the bead portionssuch that the surfaces thereof each may lie coplanarly with acorresponding one of the retainer surfaces 26 or 27 when the sealelement 52 is energized between the interface surfaces. The bead of theelement 52 may be single as shown or, alternatively, double or more toprovided redundant sealing surfaces for each of the interface surfaces.

With retainer 12 being provided as has been described, seal element 52may be adhesively bonded, interference fit or, preferably, molded, orotherwise formed in gap 24 as a continuous or discontinuous, i.e.,segmented, ring or length of an elastomeric material. For the attachmentof seal element 24 within gap 24 and the grooves 44 thereof, the gap andgroove surfaces 28, 29, and 42, may be primed with a siloxane, silane,or other bonding agent. The primed retainer 12 then may be placed into aheated molded cavity for the injection, compression, or transfer moldingof an uncured rubber or other elastomeric compound forming the integralseal elements. Each of the one or more seal elements 52 thereby may beformed and cured-in-place as vulcanized directly onto retainer 12.Alternatively, the elastomeric elements may be molded in a separateoperation and otherwise bonded using an adhesive or interference fitinto a gap 24.

The seal elements 52 also may be mechanically locked onto the retainer12, such as by virtue of the elastomeric material being injected orotherwise being flowed in encapsulating the bridge portions 40 in themanner shown in FIG. 7. Similarly, and as is shown at 70 in FIG. 5,material may be injected or otherwise flowed through holes, one of whichis referenced at 72 in FIG. 1, which may be formed axially through theretainer 12.

Seal element 52 may be formed of a synthetic rubber which specificallymay be selected for high temperature performance or otherwise forcompatibility with the fluid being handled. Suitable materials includenatural rubbers such as Hevea, as well as thermoplastic, i.e.,melt-processible, or thermosetting, i.e., vulcanizable, syntheticrubbers such as fluoropolymers, chlorosulfonate, polybutadiene,polybutadiene, buna-N, butyl, neoprene, nitrile, polyisoprene, silicone,fluorosilicone, copolymer rubbers such as ethylene-propylene (EPR),ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM), nitrile-butadiene (NBR) andstyrene-butadiene (SBR), or blends such as ethylene or propylene-EPDM,EPR, or NBR. The term “synthetic rubbers” also should be understood toencompass materials which alternatively may be classified broadly asthermoplastic or thermosetting elastomers such as polyurethanes,silicones, fluorosilicones, styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), andstyrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), as well as other polymers which exhibitrubber-like properties such as plasticized nylons, polyesters, ethylenevinyl acetates, and polyvinyl chlorides. As used herein, the term“elastomeric” is ascribed its conventional meaning of exhibitingrubber-like properties of compliancy, resiliency or compressiondeflection, low compression set, flexibility, and an ability to recoverafter deformation, i.e., stress relaxation.

Advantageously, seal element 52 exhibits a reduced yield stress ascompared to retainer 12 and, accordingly, is deformable for conformingto irregularities existing between the interface surfaces within theintended application. Further in this regard, as given compressive loadis applied to the seal element 52, an increased bearing stress isprovided thereon by virtue of the reduced surface area contact of thebearing surfaces of the bead portions thereof on the interface surfaces.This increased stress generally will be sufficient to exceed the reducedyield stress of the seal element 52 for the deformation thereofeffecting the fluid-tight sealing of the interfacing surfaces. Indeed,the seal element may be used to effect a hermetic seal which isespecially useful in petrochemical and other applications to control thefugitive emission of VOC's and other pollutants.

In service, it will be observed that the combination of a relativelyincompressible retainer 12 and the relatively compressible seal element52 provides a gasket construction which minimizes torque loss andthereby obviates much of the need for the periodic re-torquing of themembers being joined. That is, it is well-known that gaskets of the typeherein involved may develop a compression set which is manifested byfluid leaks as the tension in the joint is relaxed and the fluid-tightsealing of the interfacing surfaces is compromised. In this regard, theprovision of bead portions 96 better ensures positive sealing, withretainer 12, in turn, synergistically providing generally a compressionstop and non-yielding contact in establishing an alternative load torquepath minimizing the compression set and leak potential of the gasket 50.Thus, the use of a retainer allows the mating parts to bear stress loadswhich otherwise would cause the deformation or extrusion of a gasketwhich lacked a retainer. In the case of a metal retainer 12, suchcontact additionally affords improved heat transfer between theinterface surfaces, and also develops relatively high seal stresses forassured fluid-tight sealing of the interfacing structures.

Thus, a unique gasket construction for automotive and other commercial,industrial, or military applications is described which is economical tomanufacture even in complex shapes, and which exhibits reliable sealingproperties.

As it is anticipated that certain changes may be made in the presentinvention without departing from the precepts herein involved, it isintended that all matter contained in the foregoing description shall beinterpreted in as illustrative rather than in a limiting sense. Allreferences including any priority documents cited herein are expresslyincorporated by reference.

1. A gasket assembly comprising: a retainer having extents in a radialdirection and in an axial direction generally normal to the radialdirection, the retainer including: a first section having opposing firstsection radial surfaces which extend to a first axial surface definedtherebetween, the first axial surface having a length; a second sectionhaving opposing second section radial surfaces which extend to a secondaxial surface defined therebetween and defining with the first axialsurface a gap between the first section and the second section, thesecond axial surface being disposed opposite the first axial surfacealong at least a portion of the length thereof to define a lengthwiseextent of the gap, and being spaced-apart from the first axial surfacealong such portion to define a widthwise extent of the gap; at least onebridge portion disposed intermediate the lengthwise extent of the gap,the bridge portion spanning the widthwise extent of the gap and having abridge first radial surface extending radially intermediate the firstand the second axial surface of the first and the second section andbeing disposed axially intermediate the first radial surfaces of thefirst section and the second radial surfaces of the second section, anda bridge second radial surface disposed opposite the bridge first radialsurface and extending radially intermediate the first and the secondaxial surface of the first and the second section, and being disposedaxially intermediate the first axial surfaces of the first section andthe second axial surfaces of the second section, the bridge first radialsurface defining with the first and second axial surface a first grooveportion within the gap, and the bridge second radial surface definingwith the first and the second axial surface a second groove portionwithin the gap disposed opposite the first groove portion; a resilientseal element formed of an elastomeric material disposed within the gap,the seal element extending along at least a portion of the lengthwiseextent of the gap and through the first and the second groove portion ofthe bridge portion.
 2. The gasket assembly of claim 1 wherein the sealelement has a first side attached to the first axial surface, and asecond side attached to the second axial surface.
 3. The gasket assemblyof claim 1 wherein the seal element has a radial first sealing surfaceand a radial second sealing surface disposed opposite the first sealingsurface.
 4. The gasket assembly of claim 3 wherein seal element firstsealing surface extends axially beyond the corresponding radial surfacesof the first and the second section, and wherein the seal element secondsealing surface extends axially beyond the other radial surfaces of thefirst and second section.
 5. The gasket assembly of claim 1 wherein thecorresponding radial surfaces of the first and the second section aregenerally coplanar.
 6. The gasket assembly of claim 4 wherein each ofthe seal element first and second sealing surface is configured as abead.
 7. The gasket assembly of claim 1 wherein the retainer is formedof a metal or plastic.
 8. The gasket assembly of claim 1 wherein theelastomeric material forming the seal element is selected from the groupconsisting of natural rubbers and synthetic rubbers.
 9. The gasketassembly of claim 1 wherein the gap lengthwise extent forms a generallyclosed geometry, and wherein the seal element extends alongsubstantially the entirety of the gap lengthwise extent.
 10. The gasketassembly of claim 1 wherein the retainer has an inner and outerperimeter, and wherein the gap is formed intermediate the retainer innerand outer perimeter.
 11. The gasket assembly of claim 10 wherein theretainer inner and outer perimeter forms a generally closed geometry.12. The gasket assembly of claim 11 wherein the gap extends lengthwisegenerally about the closed geometry of the retainer.